VOORHEES — The hope is that Brandon Manning’s goal Saturday could be a kick start.

It was the defenseman’s third goal of the season, which puts him ahead of more than a dozen teammates, including Shayne Gostisbehere, No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick and Jordan Weal who had seven points in his last seven games last season.

Michael Raffl was part of the celebration because he was on the ice, but didn’t get an assist for screening goalie Mike Smith. Raffl has now gone a staggering 41 games without a point dating back to last season, but he’s not played poorly in the first 20 games of this campaign.

“It’s like you forget how it feels to be in that (scoring situation),” Raffl said. “It sucks. I don’t know. I don’t know. Get one, get 20. You never know.

“I know I will never be a guy that ends up with 80 points or something. I’m well aware of that. It still would be nice to get one. If we win the rest of all the games I’d easily go without scoring without having a problem with it.”

Manning’s was a rare goal for someone not named Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek or Sean Couturier. Secondary scoring has been an issue and Raffl might be less upset if the Flyers were on a winning streak, but they’ve lost four in a row.

Raffl isn’t alone. Wayne Simmonds had a hat trick on opening night and notched nine points in his first eight games. He’s had three points in the dozen games since.

“I am getting chances. I’m just not scoring,” Simmonds said.

“We’ve played 20 games, man. We’ve got 62 left. It’s a long year.”

He’s still wearing braces from a stick to the mouth that caused him to have to wear a jaw protector for a few days, but he didn’t like the obstructed view of the puck so he ditched that. He also dealt with some pain after blocking a couple shots with his feet and played through what is believed to be a groin strain, but says he’s feeling better now.

“I feel like I’ve started to play better,” he said. “Things haven’t been coming offensively for me, but I think as an individual I’ve got to keep working hard. The only way to work your way out of a bad streak is to work hard and hopefully things eventually start going your way.”

It seems cliché based on how often the phrase is uttered, but it’s all the players can do and even more frustrating that half the team is in the same boat.

“It gets to your head. It gets frustrating,” said Couturier, who is red hot with 15 points in his last 12 games and might hit a new career high in goals (he’s three away) before the calendar hits December. “When you’re getting chances, that’s when you know it’s coming. Usually it’s just a matter of time before you get one lucky one, one ugly one that you probably don’t deserve and then things just come easier after that.”

Outside of Couturier’s line with Giroux and Voracek, things aren’t coming easy for anyone.

“I think personally I can get more pucks to the net,” said Travis Konecny, who is on a 10-game goalless drought. “I’m giving up a lot of Grade-A opportunities and when I am shooting I’m missing the net. I’ve just got to make sure when I get those good opportunities I am putting pucks on net and making him make a save and then we’ll go from there.”

Gudas suspension alters defense

Late Sunday night the decision came down that Radko Gudas would be suspended 10 games for his slash on Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault. Since he didn’t dress for Saturday’s game, that counts and he has nine left to serve.

“I was surprised (to get that many games. I did not expect that, no,” Gudas said. “I don’t agree with it, but I accept their decision. There’s not much else I can say.”

Gudas has to stay on the roster, so the Flyers have six healthy and available defensemen left. Andrew MacDonald is nearing a return from injured reserve, but won’t play Tuesday and likely not Wednesday either.

“Kinda decided to stick to a plan and it’s been going good so far,” he said. “Just stay with it and not get too anxious or jump ahead of the gun.”

MacDonald blocked a shot with his left knee on Oct. 21 against Edmonton. In a move likely to make room for his return on the 23-man roster, the Flyers put Matt Read on waivers. If he clears Tuesday at noon, they can send him to the minors and activate MacDonald.

Going outside

It had been known for a while that the Flyers and Penguins would play a second outdoor game, this time in Philadelphia, but an exact date was unknown. Before the Eagles and Cowboys kicked off Sunday night, NBC announced the rematch would be at the Eagles’ stadium on Feb. 23, 2019.

“Hopefully we can get the win this time,” Simmonds said. “I think we lost our last two (outdoor games) by one goal. Those are always fun. You’ve got 60,000, 70,000 people in the stands all rooting, cheering for you and we’re on the home side this time. It’s gonna be unbelievable.”